Q: In recent column about ways to reduce credit card hacking, you suggested: "Don't let your cards out of your sight. This includes not using them at restaurants where a server takes your card away to swipe it."

That risk is exactly what happened to me at Cheesecake Factory two years ago, but my question is this: How do we handle that situation? Most restaurants we visit bring you your bill in a folio, in which you to insert the card for payment. And it goes out of sight. I have asked at some restaurants for the portable charger and the server says that they don't have them.

T.R., Wickliffe

A: How can you handle this? Simple. How about: Pay with cash.

Paying with plastic is a fantastic convenience for consumers who don't want the risks of carrying lots of cash, who want proof of payment, who want protections that a credit card transaction may offer if the product is unacceptable, etc.

But don't think for one second that banks and restaurants work together to allow people to use plastic because they want to be nice to you. Banks push credit and debit card usage because they make money from merchants and from you, through transaction fees and interest, in some cases.

Most restaurants and stores offer a pay-with-plastic option because consumers tend to spend more when they're swiping cards instead of counting bills. A Dun & Bradstreet study finds people spend 12 to 18 percent more when using credit cards instead of cash. Now, you can't draw a straight line between plastic and spending more. Not everyone who pays with plastic is going to spend more than they planned. But many will.

Why do you think fast-food restaurants started accepting them 14 years ago? When McDonald's in 2002 said they planned to start accepting plastic in mid-2003, it blew people's minds. They were gambling that sales would increase enough to at least pay for the transaction fees they have to pay. Then Burger King and Wendy's said they'd start testing credit and debit cards too. As an add-on benefit, payments with plastic take only about five seconds, according to the industry, as opposed to eight or nine seconds for cash transactions.

Choices are nice. So what can you do about restaurants where the servers take your credit or debit card away for payment? Use cash!

Last year, about 24 percent of Americans reported making most or all of their in-person purchases using cash. Somehow, they survived. (That's down from 36 percent five years ago.)

Now, there is a growing option for restaurant patrons. You mention tableside payments. More and more restaurants use technology like Ziosk, which involves tableside payment terminals where you can swipe your card yourself and it never leaves your sight. https://www.ziosk.com Among the restaurants that have Ziosk terminals: Chili's, Red Robin, TGI Fridays, Olive Garden and Outback Steakhouse. Maybe more restaurants will add such capability if they feel competitive pressure. If you can't pay tableside and it bothers you, say something to the restaurant manager the next time you go out to eat.

Q: I do paid presentations at local libraries and senior centers.

I always have to fill out W-9s (even though I don't usually make more than a few hundred dollars a year from each venue) and give my Social Security number. I am a sole proprietor.

Now, I'm being asked to give my date of birth too! A client says it is a requirement of the Ohio Public Employment Retiree System, so they can check the database to see if I have worked in public service -- it's meant to protect the retirement system. I haven't worked in public service.

I am very reluctant to provide this information, as I know that full legal name plus address plus SSN plus DOB could be a recipe for identity theft disaster. In fact, I've been a victim before of credit card theft.

L.L., Cleveland

A: Well, I'm looking at a W-9 form and there's no space to fill in a date of birth. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf If I were you, I'd just ignore the request if it's in writing. If they ask verbally, or follow up, I'd tell them it's not required by the IRS on a W-9. I'd ask for written documentation to back up the reason they say they need your date of birth.

Now, they could point you to the OPERS Independent Contractor/ Worker Acknowledgement form, in which a worker would acknowledge that they've been told they are not considered a public employee and that no contributions will be made to OPERS on their behalf. The form does indeed have a spot for date of birth. If I were you, I'd try to fill out that form without date of birth, if you don't feel comfortable providing it.

I don't quite get what their concern is with OPERS. Everything that needs to be settled up later -- past wages, benefits, eligibility -- can be traced with your Social Security number.

If they won't hire you without your date of birth, then you have to decide whether to stand your ground and not get the speaking gigs.